City Announces New Director of Vancouver Civic Theatres

The City of Vancouver's Cultural Services department announced today the appointment of Sandra Gajic as the new director of the Vancouver Civic Theatres, effective June 9, 2014. 

Gajic is relocating to Vancouver from Edmonton where she has held the position of executive director of Shumka Dancers, a Ukrainian dance troupe, since June 2013. 

Previously, Gajic served as CEO of the Edmonton Opera and, prior to that, from 2008 until 2011, served as general manager of the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts in Calgary. While there, she managed a $9 million annual operating budget, improved tenant relations with eight resident companies and oversaw a change in the operating and governance models for the organization. From 1992 through 2008, Gajic was operations manager for the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, responsible for day-to-day operations including the management of three separate facilities. She also managed the start-up process and project-managed the design and construction of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. 

Gajic holds degrees in Economics (including an MBA) and Music. She is passionate about the arts and has a wide array of interests including painting, poetry, and scuba-diving. 

She steps into the position previously held by Todd Ayotte, who has served as interim director of Vancouver Civic Theatres for the past year and a half.